Violet Eyes
by Vchart920
Summary: It's been six years since the events of Weirdmageddon. Mabel and Dipper continued their lives in California meeting new friends and returning to Gravity Falls every summer and occasionally during the holidays. All had been rather quiet until some odd dreams started occurring for one of their friends. [OcxCanon]
1. Chapter 1

Mia stretched in her desk, awaiting the bell to ring. It was only a few minutes until the weekend and she couldn't wait to just relax. Maybe spend some time at the park if she was able to. She gave an impatient groan, looking to the clock to see how much longer. Still a few more minutes. The wait was always a grueling one.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a quick cough from behind, "Heeeyyy. Mmmiiiaaaaa…" the girl behind her whispered.

Mia turned around to face her classmate. The girl was Mabel, one of the most popular kids in school thanks to her warm heart and the fact that she breathes charisma. It was her best trait that complimented her twin and his somewhat antisocial personality. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose as she replied, "Heya, Mabel. How's it goin'?"

"What're you doin' this weekend?" she hissed out, failing to be quiet.

She gave a shrug. "I really have no idea. I'm thinking either the park or brushing up on my physics. It's our last school year, gotta really start working on that career plan. But, I'm guessing you want to hang out?"

"Weeeellll, maybe." Her face displayed a guilty smile. "I've got a cool party planned and everyone's invited. Everyone cool."

"So, everyone?" Mia gave a bit of a chuckle.

"Well, you know!" She smiled her weird, little smile.

"Ok, I'll bite. What time you gonna have it?"

"Oh! 6 tomorrow. At night!"

"Oh, good. I'll have time to get some homework out of the way." She looked up at the clock as the bell rang. She smiled at the relief of being free from the building. "Wanna grab Dipper and we can talk on our way home?"

"Sure!" She got up to leave. She was out the door before she stopped in a dead halt. She turned around to see Mia holding the backpack that was left deserted in the now empty seat, "Heh...did it again!" With her backpack, she left for real.

"Meet you out front!" Mia called before taking her time. She took a stop by her locker, trading in some books for her homework that she didn't want to do; her backpack was already heavy enough. Lugging the thing over her shoulders, she headed out to meet with the twins. She strolled out the door and scanned around for Mabel and Dipper.

Her gaze was caught by something in the distance. Some...thing. It was watching her. Staring at her. She felt its presence, as if it was right next to her. All she could feel were eyes, not maliciousness or a sense of darkness. Whatever it was disappeared behind a group of students that passed in front of it.

She stood there for a good moment before her attention was drawn away. "Miiiiaaaa! Over here!" Her gaze snapped to the girl. Mia turned back to the spot where that feeling was. Nothing was there anymore. She gave up on her observation and joined Mabel and Dipper. "What caught your eye? You were staring off there for a minute."

Mia turned back once more, just a glance. "I'm not really sure. Just a really odd feeling for a moment."

"Hah! We know a lot about odd feelings, don't we?" Dipper asked, glancing to his knowing sister.

"We sure do! Come on, let's go!" Mabel spun on her heels and started skipping away.

Mia wished she had the energy that girl had. Before following, she took one last glance. She had been on vacation with Dipper and Mabel up to Gravity Falls on more than one occasion, but that feeling was nothing like the weirdness there, yet somehow so familiar.

Mabel was chatting away about plans and events for the party with Dipper contributing every so often. Mia stared ahead of them, not particularly paying attention to what was going on. A mechanical pencil set between her teeth, turning it around and around again. That feeling still stuck with her. Remembering how it felt brought another shiver up her spine. It didn't feel right.

"Mia? You're awfully quiet. What's going on inside that noggin of yours?"

The pencil stopped as she came back to reality. "Uh, I'm not sure."

Dipper looked to Mabel, a thoughtful idea in his head. Pulling out a notebook and pencil, he said, "Earlier you said you had an odd feeling. Would you like to talk about it?"

Mia opened her mouth to poke fun at his notebook and the need to write every odd thing that occured, but she let it go with a heavy sigh. She supposed it would be better to let it out to the closest expert that wasn't eight hours away. "I'm not terribly sure. It was almost like the feeling you suddenly get when you feel like you're being watched. Like… a presence. That's a good way of putting it. Except it was stronger, much stronger. And in my mind I keep picturing this black shadow and it's nothing like what's happened at Gravity Falls."

"That's a bit strange." Mabel's tone held some concern, looking to her brother for any ideas.

"Hmmmm." Dipper thought for a moment after writing all of it down. "Sounds like…Wish I had Grunkle Ford's journals right now, but it sounds like a... ghost?"

"Maybe you can call him when we get home?" Mabel offered. "He could probably give you more insight."

Mia mused to herself, "I hope it was just a one time thing."

"We don't need Grunkle Ford! We've got this! It may be a one time thing. Or a school wide occurrence. We'll have to keep an eye on everyone!"

"You want me to contact you guys if it comes up again?"

"That'd be great! Keep us posted on anything that happens!" It wasn't too long before the three of them split off with their goodbyes with promises to meet up tomorrow night.

Mia unlocked the door and headed inside. She already knew her parents wouldn't be home. It was a comforting thought. However, she figured her brother might be home. If so, she may as well say hi.

His door was closed, as usual, and didn't give any sign if he was home just from that. Using her knuckles, she gave a few quick taps on the door. A voice from inside made her smile, "That you, Mia?"

"It's me. Can I come in?" Before getting any answer, she heard the sound of a book shutting and since shuffling around of items, some very noisy items.

"Yeah, come on in."

Mia did just that and sat on his bed right next to him. "You're home a little early."

"I wanted to get some stuff done before dad gets home. You should probably do the same."

"I'm aware. I plan on it." She looked down at the backpack she had set on the ground. "I got my report card on Monday. Got an A in my math and science classes, but a B in everything else." She paused. "Then a C in business."

Mark felt her nervousness just from looking at her. "He's not going to be happy when he sees that. I figure you're not going to give it to him."

"No, not really. Doesn't stop him from seeing it online, though. And you know what he's going to say when he does."

"And you know better to just not give a shit what he says. Just because he wants you to follow in his footsteps doesn't make him right. He already gave up on me a couple years ago. Except I kinda do my own business anyway."

Mark was older than her by three years at 21. When she was younger, she would see how their dad treated him for the longest time, but never putting up with what was thrown at him, at least not that she could tell. Mia always looked up to him and they had a tight relationship that no one could break, not even their father. The only reason he still lived with them was because he was able to keep up on the rent their father charged him.

"Why can't he just leave us alone? He knows we're not going to conform to his ideals of a perfect family."

"Because mom puts up with it and does whatever she can to keep him off our backs." Mark looked over at the time on his clock. "You better start doing whatever you needed to do while we still have peace."

"Right." She gave him a weak smile before picking up her pack and heading to her room. She took out her keys and opened her door before shutting it behind her. Mark insisted that she get an actual lock on her door. He was paranoid, but for good reasons. Her weekend homework was always done by the end of Friday night. She hated to procrastinate and hated even more when things are left unfinished.

She shoved her pencil in her mouth to keep it busy while she opened her business book to where they left off. This was her normal routine; she started with her least favorite subject so she could work her way up to what she loved. The math parts of business were the best part, but that was all their was to offer. Mia reached to her earbuds and plugged them into her phone, turning on some music. Her favorite study music was chillstep, the perfect mix of calm and serenity. Everything her life is not.

Mia was into her writing homework when she heard the front door shut with a good amount of force behind it, not enough to be considered a slam. This gave Mia a start, pulling her out of her trance. She took a moment to be in the moment. Her dad was home, it was only a matter of time before he would target her about something.

It wasn't until she was done with all her work that she felt her stomach growl, asking to be fed. She hesitated, trying to listen to see where her dad was. She didn't hear any noise from the kitchen. Hopefully, he was just in his office. Taking the chance, she made her way into the hallway and to the kitchen.

Opening the fridge didn't yield much food. Her mom always cooked, but only what he wanted, which was making everyone sick because they couldn't try anything new. He was especially strict with Mia. Whenever Mark went out, he'd usually bring home fast food or something for her. Except she couldn't wait right now.

She grabbed a bag of salad. The noise would prompt her dad, but she took the risk, and it was the quickest thing to eat. She pulled out some other ingredients and, like clockwork, she heard the door to his office open and shut. "I was wondering when you would come out from hiding." Her dad's voice cut through her. His tone was sharp and authoritative, just as a manager's should be.

"I was getting my homework done early before the end of the day. You know how I hate procrastinating." Time and time again she would have to defend herself with the same answers to his same questions. She couldn't think to why. Perhaps he's trying to catch her in a nonexistent lie. She paid no mind to him while she began to fix herself a bowl.

"How are your grades?" This confirmed it, he checked them.

Mia glanced at him a moment. "I would say my grades are fine."

Her dad narrowed his eyes at her. "Your business management is a C, Mia. A C!"

"The classes that are important to me are A's."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mia, I know you're smart, but you're wasting that energy on things that don't matter. The world doesn't need scientists or mathematicians! That's why you're taking this business class! You need to go into management."

"No, I'm not wasting my time. I'm doing what I want."

"You only think you're doing what you want."

This always confused her, the fact that he really believed this. "How can you say that? Have you ever listened to yourself, much less me? Why do you have to insist you know what I want?"

His dark eyes softened. "Mia, you're almost out of high school. This is the peak of your life. I let you stay in school so you can educate yourself while most kids have jobs at 16. Your brother is such a disappointment and a bad influence on you. I don't want you to follow his path and end up like him."

Once she was finished, she put everything she didn't need back in the fridge. When she went to grab her bowl, he grabbed her wrist. "I expect better out of you." His tone was almost threatening which worried her. He let her hand go, hoping she'd think about what he said. Mia quickly took her food and locked herself in her room.

* * *

Mia set her glasses in her case before laying down and getting comfortable. The rest of the night had been uneventful, and she was grateful for it. As she stared at the Sonic cup sitting on her desk, the feeling from earlier tried to creep its way in her head, but she managed to push it out of her mind just as she did with her parents' bickering and arguments. She moved on her side and snuggled up into her pillow before going to sleep.

She was hit with a dream that night. A dark shadow tried to say something, beckoning her closer. She couldn't make out any solid shapes save for an eye right in the middle, but its eye showed no malevolence towards her. It seemed only to want to say something, unable to get anything out before she woke up.

Mia woke up with the memory clear in her head. She was able to question it more when her sleepy feelings went away. She sat up, replaying the voice over and over again, trying to figure out what it was this thing was saying. She reached for her glasses case and stared at in thought for several moments. She wasn't sure what to really think of it at all.

She took notice of her phone in the corner of her eye. She gave a sigh and grabbed it, texting Dipper what she dreamt of. Whether it was important or not, she may as well humor Dipper and tell him anyway.

In which, Dipper was quick to reply, "That's a development. Hopefully it's being honest. Right now, I'd say try to listen to it tonight?"

"Can do, captain!" Dipper simply replied with a smiley face. She set her phone down and got dressed. She felt like going for a walk, enjoying the crisp morning air. This was something her father at least agreed with. A businesswoman needs to stay fit and healthy.

She locked her door and stopped by Mark's. She knocked and spoke, "Hey, wanna go for a walk?"

His groggy voice came through the door. "Yeah, sure. Give me five."

With that, she waited out on the porch for him. Mark came out, pushing his lighter brown bedhead back to where it looked halfway decent. "I don't see how you can be such a morning person."

"I know you like our morning walks. Gets you out of the house." They both headed out down the neighborhood.

As soon as they were far enough, Mark pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He took a few puffs from it before exhaling the smoke. Mia wasn't against his smoking. It wasn't healthy, but it's kinda how he coped. She just hated the smell.

"Dad would kick you out in a heartbeat if he caught you smoking."

He flicked some of the ash onto the ground. "That's if he catches me. I hide my stash well enough. It's been four years and he still hasn't found it."

Mia gave a lighthearted giggle. "Oh, man. Dad was right, you are a bad influence on me."

Mark tried to give a laugh but ended up choking on the smoke and ended up hacking out a couple coughs. "I'm still surprised he says that. He's such a joke."

With a few moments of silence, Mia decided to change the subject. "I'm heading over to Mabel and Dipper's tonight for a party."

"She hosting another 'cool kids' party?"

"You know it. Tonight at 6 if you want to join. You know she won't mind."

"I probably will. More reason for me to get out of the house. Just gotta make a couple calls first." The cherry of the cigarette reached the filter to which he promptly threw to the ground and stepped on it to put it out further. "What are you gonna do until then?"

"Probably look up science and math videos on youtube. Learning new stuff."

Mark laughed and shook his head. "You are such a fucking nerd, Mia." She joined in on his laughter. After a hearty laugh, he smiled at her softly. "You're going to go places with that big brain of yours, kid." He poked her in the head to make his point. "I know you're not going to disappoint me."

This made Mia swell up with appreciation and pride. "No, I won't."

* * *

Mia looked to the clock, it was a little after 3. Figuring she's had enough learning for one day, she flopped down on her bed, ready for a nap. Before she forgot, she quickly set her alarm for an hour later so she would have plenty of time for Mabel's party later on.

Her eyes wearily opened into a massive scape of pale, shifting colors. Mia felt her feet touch a flat surface invisible to her eyes. Most notably of all, she felt that presence again. Calm yet foreboding just as the last time. It was an odd feeling, being aware in a dream. She never had a lucid dream before.

She spun around as she heard her name being called out, though very muffled. The voice called to her once more. This time she was able to pinpoint the source. It was coming from a shadow in the distance. She hesitantly took a step back as it beckoned once more. "Who… What are you?"

She had to strain her ears to hear what it said next: "A friend."

Mia's instincts were telling her to back off. It was unusual and foreign to her. The words Dipper had said earlier prodded her mind suddenly, egging her forward with curiosity. With a calming breath, she forced herself to stride towards the shadow. It seems to wait for her patiently. How Mia could feel that, she was unsure. The figure was soon in front of her, proving to be much larger than herself.

She finally got a closer look at it: a swirling mass of shadow and galaxy-like colors moved about the void. However, she didn't expect a single, slitted eye to open up right in the middle. Void of color except for white. "Hello, Mia!" The voice was so very clear now that she was right next to it. Her brow scrunched in confusion. The voice was much more high pitched than she would have expected from this kind of… creature? I suppose that's a way to put it for now.

"Uh… Hello…" The word cautiously left her mouth, unsure of whether she should have said anything or not.

"Call me a friend. I want to help you out. And in return, I want some help from you later on." The voice seemed friendly enough, almost too friendly from the stories that Dipper recounted to her.

She wasn't ignorant. This sounded a lot like how a demon makes their deals. She watched too many horror movies to know that was a bad idea. "Help? With my life? And what exactly do you want from me?"

"Weeelll, that's a story for another day. Just watch and listen for me. I don't want anything you wouldn't. But now, it's time to get up." As soon as he said that, her alarm went off.

She bolted up with a confused start. She quickly came to her surroundings, though still groggy from sleep. A quick swipe shut her alarm off and she went to her contacts. She put the phone to her ear and waited as the phone rang.

Answering almost within a heartbeat, Dipper came through,"What's up?"

"Had a lucid dream, Dipper. That shadowy thing was there again." Mia gave a loud yawn, still trying to kill the sleepiness.

"Oh! Tell me all about it!"

"I was in this weird pale scape of… nothing. I heard a muffled voice calling my name, which was the shadow thing. I saw it and got closer. I thought it was just a shadow, but nope. It had an eye. One single eye. Then he said he wanted to help me in return for my help later on. Didn't talk much before my alarm woke me up, but the thing had a really high pitched voice. It was so…. Unexpected."

"Hmm. Sounds like a typical void dream. In the Mind Scape, connecting our worlds and...nevermind. Sounds like a typical ghost or demon. Either way it can't do anything without your cooperation and agreement. So whatever it truly wants, don't agree to anything until you know what that is. Sometimes a ghost can actually be nice, or misunderstood. A demon never is, they're only there for themselves. Be careful, and don't let it steal your soul away."

"Makes enough sense." She took a glance at the clock. "You mind if I head over now?"

"Sure!" His excitement pulled a warm smile across her face. "We could use some help. Mabel and I have gone and overthought everything...again."

"Sure. Let me get ready and I'll see you in five." She didn't wait for him to reply before she bounded up out of bed and got dressed. She made sure to lock her door before she made her way downstairs and towards the door.

"Where do you think you're going, Mia?" His voice made her stop dead in her tracks. This could either go bad or worse.

"I'm going to Mabel and Dipper's."

Her dad got up from his seat and went over to her, almost blocking the door from her. "Do you think you deserve to go to their house?"

"Yeah, they're my friends."

"You may think they're your friends. But what do they contribute to you?" Before she could answer, he spoke again. "Nothing! Those two kids are only adding to your toxic behavior. You should be staying here and studying for your future."

"Jack. She's still a teenager," her mother interjected. "Let her go and have fun." Her mother's usual tired and hopeless gaze held firm against his own.

He gave a bit of a growl, "Fine. But we will talk about this later." He went back to his seat, letting Mia leave.

Mia sighed when she shut the door behind her, heart pounding in her chest. Before waiting for her father to change his mind, she took off down the street to their house. She panted heavily, out of breath when she got to their door. Mia took a deep breath before pressing the doorbell.

Dipper opened the door in a few moments, "Hey! Come on, there's stuff to be done!" He took her by the arm, leading her through the house to where Mabel was setting up.

"Hi, Mia! We kinda went a little overboard with the work, especially since our parents aren't home."

"Sure, I can help you guys. Wish I could've brought Mark, but I think he's out right now."

"That's all right. I think we'll be able to manage with the three of us."

Time went by pretty fast with them working and having fun. The three of them managed to finish most of it by the time people started showing up, Mark being the first.

Mark looked around the house, an unlit cigarette in his mouth. "This looks good, guys. You certainly outdid yourselves." He held his hand up for Mabel

Mabel completed the high five with vigor. "Thanks, Mark!"

Mia took quick observation of her brother next to the two twins. The fact that her brother was taller than Dipper - reaching at about 6'4" while Dipper was 5'10" - always gave her some sense of astonishment. Even their own father wasn't as tall as Mark. She broke herself out of her thoughts and followed Mabel to the kitchen to start setting out the food and drinks.

It wasn't but a few minutes before Mabel spoke up, "What's on your mind? You haven't made an effort to chew on anything." She took a momentary pause to hop up on the counter and grab some stuff from the top shelves. Mia gave a quick twitch and snatched up a toothpick from the container on top of the stove. "Is it about the thing in your dream?"

Grinding the piece of thin wood between her molars, she gave a hollow groan. "I really wish it were. Dad's getting worse, especially after seeing my grades. With this being our last year, he's getting more adamant about my future." Mia opened the freezer door and began to take out the bags of ice that they bought for the soda cooler. "Maybe it's time to kick my ass into gear and up that business grade just to keep him off my case. Time I stop being a rebellious teen and kiss up."

Mabel put a supportive hand on her friend's shoulder. "I know how much you hate having to say that. It's a hard fact to swallow, but that may be the best idea for now. Who knows, it may lead you to a better future than you may think."

Mia just shrugged, unsure of what to really say. Finally, she settled with, "I guess we can only find out, right?"

"That's the spirit, Mia!" The twin gave her a wide smile to which she returned a more gentle one. It really did pay to be an optimist at times, although she wasn't sure if it was Mabel's energy rubbing off on her after the few years she knew her.

The party was a hit as expected. Quite a few of their classmates showed up to hang out, unwind, and have fun. Others did not show, mostly because of their strict rule of no alcohol in the house. Regardless of being high school students, Mabel always found a way to keep the entertainment going one way or another. Mia enjoyed it mostly because it distracted her mind and gave her time to relax and enjoy the simple fact that she had a home away from home.

After the party died down and all the guests left, Mia didn't much like the idea of returning home so late and invoking the wrath of her dad. Deciding it was best to stay, she crashed on the couch as it was the last place she was at and didn't feel like moving. She was perfectly content with her decision.

* * *

The scenario was just like the nap before. She woke up in her dream, the same plane as before. Her eyes glanced back and forth, looking for that shadow again. Of course, he appeared after a few moments, much closer this time. Almost right next to her. He appeared much smaller this time, reaching her height.

"Hello, again."

"Hello. What are you doing here? Why are you coming to me?"

"Well, because you're the exact kind of personality I like, and the genius to boot! Can't beat that combo."

"Personality and genius? What could I possibly offer you?"

He gave a swift and sharp laugh. "They always say that. I'm sort of stuck here right now. But I won't make you do anything yet! Right now, I do want you to be in a better situation, so I'm offering my help. And then you can make a decision to help me or not."

"They ask that for a reason, mostly clarification. Thanks, but no thanks. I don't need help. I can handle my situation just fine."

"Really? Are you sure about that? I want to get the three of you away from that. Your mom is trying, but what can she do? Your brother has something going on, but will that get you out and away? You, however, are a genius. I've already seen it. You give them the greatest hope of getting out. Don't you owe it to them to do your best? And really, I'm not asking for a deal yet. I know you have no reason to trust me."

"Then what can you do? You're only a cycloptic shadow. I don't need you becoming a strain on my life, especially during my sleep. I already get enough stress while I'm awake."

"Yeah, I noticed. I'm more than meets the...eye!" He laughed at his own stupid joke. At least that's what she thought. "Here, ask me something, anything! Within reason."

"Oh, fucking Christ… Umm… What do you know about math and the sciences?"

"More than you do! I'm positive of that, too! Being not alive lets me be very old!" Extremely complex mathematical formulas swirled around them. "I know so many things! Things that I could teach you, too."

"You could teach me…?" She actually considered it for a moment before she shook her head out of it. She hesitantly answered, "No… Uh… I can't accept that."

"Oh, please, even I didn't believe that one. You have no reason to trust me, but ask your friend Dipper. I can't do anything to you unless you let me."

"I suppose that's true." She gave a weak groan, holding her arm. "It's so tempting, but I can't. I can't be tricked into something, especially from something I don't even know."

"Trick? It's not a trick! All I am doing is offering my help and hoping for some help in return later! I'm not forcing you to do anything!"

She was about to ask something but thought to keep it to herself. "You know what, all right. I cave. It's hard enough to try to pass up an opportunity like this." She looked around at all the formulas before glancing to him again. "But don't you think I'm going to let my guard down."

"That's the spirit! Hey, I'd love to stay and chat more, but we'll have to talk more later! Bye!"

She woke up to Dipper shaking her awake. The sun was shining through the window on her. Thank god the curtains were shut. "Huh, what? Oh, hey, Dipper. Is it morning already?"

"Good morning. Did you have any more dreams?" She moved for him as he sat down, already having his notebook out. Once he was sat down, she put her legs across his lap.

She gave a loud yawn accompanied by a satisfying stretch. "Yeah, let me tell you about it." She took a few minutes to explain everything that she could remember.

"Fascinating! Since you're here, it means whatever it is has targeted you and isn't a localized phenomenon only at your house. Ghosts usually stay in one spot. Demon? Hm… could be any number of things. Maybe an ancestor? Or ancestral curse! Oooohhhh that'd be neat."

"You're awfully excited about my possible doom." She gave a quick chuckle before giving a momentary thought. "Then why does he want to help? I would rule out curse"

"And you didn't make any deals… I'm not sure. Some sort of protector… But he wants something unknown out of you." He paused in thought, the end of his pen tight between his teeth. His expression turned to that of worry, almost as if a thought popped into his head. "I'll... have to do some more research. I don't know."

There were quiet footsteps down the hall as Mark stepped around the corner. His hair was a mess and his clothes were put on lazily. "Morning," he half-muttered before grabbing the cigarette pack he left on the table. He huffed out a sharp "Shit!" when he discovered his pack was empty.

"I'm guessing you ran out." Mia lifted her legs to let Dipper out of his willing imprisonment.

"Bingo," he sighed before chucking the pack in the trash. Thankfully he didn't have to worry about the twin's parents were away. They said the kids were able to take care of themselves and left them more than enough money to help with food and whatever else they may need.

"Well," Dipper continued his conversation with Mia, "I may have a few theories on your visitor. I hate to say it, but take the offer to help with your studies. As long as you don't say anything that could insight a deal. It can't force you to do anything without it."

"I suppose that may be best." Mia finally decided to stand up and get her joints moving.

"If there's anything else, let me know. You've got my number."

"Will do. We should probably head home on that note."

"And stop by the gas station, please," Mark interjected, giving his hair a ruffle and comb of his fingers to make himself pass as a decent human being.

* * *

 **Just a little story I wanted to write. I may upload more, depending if this gets any interest. I'm really into this story and hope to share more of it.**


	2. Chapter 2

The two siblings took their time getting home, taking their usual morning walk around the neighborhoods. There wasn't much conversation between the two of them as Mia had her head filled with worry and didn't have much to say regardless. Thinking back to what she decided last night, it would be a good idea to figure out her words for when she approached her father.

They seemed to have arrived at their house sooner than they both hoped. Mark set a hand on her shoulder. "You'll be alright. You can't disappoint him worse than I have." He gave her a smile and unlocked the door, holding it for her to go first.

Unfortunately, they had to walk in front of his office. Mia gave a peek through the glass and saw him busy at his computer. His eyes flicked over his glasses to her, making contact for a fraction of a second before going back to his computer.

Her pace picked up before slowing down into the kitchen. Her mom must've already gone to work seeing how she wasn't around the area. Cold rushed over her body making her hairs stand on end. Mark shuffled through the freezer and grabbed a frozen meal and set off to microwave it.

Mia figured she'd do the same for now, grabbing one for herself as well. While Mark's was being nuked, she studied hers. Their dad only wanted them to eat healthy and only the best, even if it was frozen. At least he understood their mom couldn't be there all the time to cook.

"Mia-" his sharp voice made her jump out of her trance "-when you get done eating, meet me in my office." She looked up to see Jack looking to her before moving down the hallway. She took a deep breath and set a hand on her chest. The beating organ nearly jumped out of her at that. It was now or never, she thought.

"Close the door behind you," her father instructed. Mia took a deep breath before doing so. She didn't need to be told to take a seat. Her hands folded themselves on her lap while she forced herself not to chew on her own tongue. It was a few moments later before he turned his attention from the monitor to her. He removed his glasses before setting them on the desk.

He opened his mouth to speak but Mia cut him off, "May I speak first?" She hadn't intended to be the first to speak, but her nerves were getting the best of her. Jack gestured his hand to her, giving her the permission. Another deep breath filled her lungs. "I am fully aware of my actions as of late. There isn't an excuse. I was acting out, more than I should have. I understand you think business is my future and I should be more aware that it can be very important one day. However, I need you to understand my passion lies elsewhere. I give you my word, I'll bring up my business grade if you meet me halfway."

Jack took his time to listen and to think of how to answer. His eyes fixated themselves on something else, as he usually did when thinking. Finally, he spoke, "If _this_ is what it takes to get your grade up, so be it. I will bother you only if I must, but do not expect to try and stray from your future."

Well, it was close enough, she supposed. Probably as good as it would get for now. It was a relief for her to hear. "Thank you."

"Now, I need to talk about your friends: those Pines twins." The relief was nice while it lasted. "I do believe that having associations during school is important for someone growing up. It provides them with building social skills and learning about others. However, I believe those two aren't going to be any help for your future. They may have their futures planned out, and they may go places, but they won't take you places."

Mia wanted to snap a response at him but swiftly thought against it, not wanting to provoke him. "Can I still go to Gravity Falls this summer?"

"Only if, when the summer ends, you use all the time you can for your future. Friends won't get you anywhere in life."

She bit her tongue. "Yes, sir."

"Glad to hear. I don't have anything else to talk about. Close the door on your way out."

Mia let herself out and took a sigh of relief with the door shut behind her. She made her way to her brother's room, letting herself in, and promptly planted herself onto his bed. One of his pillows now occupied her face.

Mark rolled his chair across the floor and shut the door with his foot. "Went as well as it could?" he guessed. He rolled back to his desk, jotting down things in a notebook.

Mia pulled the pillow off. "I sucked up and he calmed down for now. I'm still able to go to Gravity Falls this summer. And if I bring up my grade, he'll stay off my case."

"For him, that sounds like a win."

"Rather a good start."

Mark sighed through his nose in sympathy. "I doubt you're going to get any better than that, Mia." He flipped a couple of pages through the notebook. "However, I think by the time summer is over, I should have enough to where we can officially move out."

His sister perked up at the news. "Really?" His smile assured her that he was being sincere. With his job, Mark had been saving up for years now, planning ahead for him to be able to move out and bring Mia with him. Their dad didn't want her getting a job and to focus on her studies, so she is forever grateful to him for looking out for her. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Couldn't have done it without mom." This was true. It was her idea, as Mark had revealed some time ago. She has contributed to the funds, but was hard to when their dad controlled where her paycheck went. She always had them in mind.

Mia sat up with a thought going through her head, something she didn't think about before. "I've been having weird dreams the last couple days." Mark didn't say anything and let her continue. "Dipper suggests that it may be a demon or ghost or something of the sort."

"What makes him think that?"

"Oh, the thing says he wants to help our situation and to teach me more math and science. And he states that he wants my help with something, but is going to let me decide whether to help him or not."

"I would believe Dipper to be right. Sounds like something a demon would do. What's it look like?"

"I have no real idea yet. It's just been a shadow with an eye. If he appears again, I'm going to try to persuade him to showing himself."

"I know you'll be careful, but I need to say it anyway."

"Always am."

He accepted the reassurance. "It's still pretty early. Your homework is done, right?" She nodded. "Wanna spend the day at China Beach? I'm almost done with this." He tapped on his notebook.

"Sure. Sounds like a good time killer." When Mark was done, they headed down the stairs. Mia wanted to snag a couple bottles of water for the road.

"Where do you two think you're going?" Jack was sitting at the table eating. His glasses rested near his plate while he scrolled through something on his phone.

"China Beach," Mia answered. "Would that be acceptable?"

It was always hard to tell what he was thinking, especially when he looked at them through his narrowed eyes. "Be home by dinner or there will be consequences." This was mostly directed to Mark.

"Sure, dad." The two of them walked out of the house and headed to get Mark's car. "Sure as hell wouldn't want to keep disappointing him." Mark pulled out a cigarette and promptly lit it. "I think I stress him out."

"I think everything stresses him out. Might explain that stick up his ass."

"No kidding."

Mabel answered the door soon after the chime of the doorbell. "It's only been two hours, guys. Do you have that hard of a time staying away?" the girl teased, moving aside to let them in.

"I'm just here to pick up the keys." Mark stepped to the key rack and plucked his car keys off it.

Mabel's eyes lit up. "Where are you going?"

Mia answered, "Figured we'd take a nice day to go to China Beach."

"You think we'd be able to tag along?"

Mark ruffled her hair a bit. "If you think your brother would be up for it."

"He in his room?" Mia asked, bending a little to glance into the hallway. When Mabel gave her an 'mm-hm,' she volunteered to get ask him.

She made her way to his open door and took a look inside. Dipper was knelt down at his closet going through some things in a box. She recognized most as being items and memories of Gravity Falls, be it gifts or journals. A slip of old paper was in his hands. One that he choose to preserve and laminate for two reasons, good and bad. The better reason was that it was the letter from his family and friends right as the summer ended on their thirteenth birthday. Dipper had shown this to her a couple years back when she first met him and expressed her own interest in mythology and the paranormal. However, he never intended for her to see the second reason. The dreadful words on the back that he was staring at in that moment, the ones that even gave her chills. 'We'll meet again some sunny day.' It was a harsh reminder that kept their fears lit, worried for the day when, not if, he returns. Dipper and Mabel were always worried if they would be more prepared this time, no matter how much their Grunkle Ford assured them.

She gave a soft knock on the door, spooking the boy out of his hypnotic state. "Hey, we're gonna head to China beach. Would you like to come with?"

Dipper turned back to the paper and set it back in the box. "Uh, sure. Maybe that will be good for me."

Mia stepped in and knelt down with him. "You're here now, Dipper. Things are better, you've made so much progress over the years. You've both come so far and have come out so much stronger. No matter what happens, you're not alone."

His eyes looked back to the box. He covered it up and slid it back into the closet. "But how will I know if we'll be ready? After all that he caused between us, how will we know we'd be mentally ready when he returns. How are we so-"

Mia cut him off with a finger to his lips. "It's hard to say what we would do in the moment. The only thing we can do right now is be trust those around us and trust yourself." Mia took her finger away. "Now what brought this up?"

"Honestly, your dreams. I know it's little to go off of, but when you said the voice was high pitched and it had one eye. It's starting to make me worry."

Mia felt a twinge of guilt pulse through her being. Knowing this would make it harder for her to tell him anything. On the other hand, she couldn't help having these problems. Worst case scenario would be Cipher. What would she do then? She didn't realize she was chewing on her tongue until she snapped out of it with a question. "Hey, worst case scenario, it is Bill. What should I do?" She hated to ask it, but she needed to know.

An old determination lit up behind those brown eyes of his. "You tell me, all right? Doesn't matter what I just said. It's too important of a matter to keep it secret. Understood?"

Mia gave a smile at him. "Will do, Captain." She tapped his shoulder and stood up. "Let's head out to the beach. We don't have all day."

* * *

Mia and Mabel walked together on the warm, white sands. Both had their shoes off wading ankle deep in the water. Both pairs of eyes scanned around looking for anything interesting that may have washed ashore. Mia looked to Mabel, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose and took out the plastic ring from the water bottle she was chewing on. She wanted to speak, but really couldn't find the right words to say.

Mabel bent down and snatched a shell out of the water, happy with the find. "It's too bad we don't get a lot of shells around here," she remarked, looking over the shell and smiled seeing as the shell was mostly intact.

"It's a real shame we can't go very far to be able to find some good ones."

She dried the shell off on her shirt and pocketed the small treasure. "I couldn't agree more! Maybe we can convince Grunkle Stan and Ford to take us to the beach this summer."

"Oregon might have better beaches than California. That would be really nice."

Mabel giggled at the current thought running through her mind. "Maybe we'll even find some cute guys to look at. Huh, huh?" Mabel elbowed Mia and her giggling turned into a laugh.

Mia almost snorted at the idea. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to look, right?"

"That's the idea!"

"Wouldn't he get jealous, though?"

Mabel smiled wider at the thought of him. "That's why I said to only look. I'm still keeping my promise to him."

Mia knew how hard it was, having to wait for someone. The summer before she turned 18, Mabel had spent some time with an old acquaintance of theirs in Gravity Falls. They spent the summer together before she promised to wait for him to come of age as well. "He turns 17 next year, right?"

"Yep, then I'll only have to wait one more year. That reminds me, how is Mark's relationship going?"

"Still going really well. He visits when he can, though they video chat almost every spare moment they can at home."

"Does your dad even know?"

"No. He thinks that if our dad found out, he'd kick him out or do something to rule over his life again."

"I don't blame him if that's the case." The twin took a look back behind her. "We got pretty far. Should probably return to the guys.

* * *

Smoke exhaled with the hot breath of the man that gazed over the waters. He was enjoying the peace and quiet while the younger was jotting notes and script down in his journal. "So what can I do to help?"

Dipper's pencil stopped, giving him time to think. He had already expected Mia to tell Mark about the dreams. "All we can do is be there for any events and wait. She's smart enough to know not to make a deal with something like that. The only thing we have to worry about right now is that demons are very manipulative. They'll say anything and find any way to get you to make deals with them. However, if it's who I'm worried it is, then we may have time to really think of something."

"Why is that?"

"If it is… him… Then he can't do anything outside of Gravity Falls. Even if he can contact someone, he'd be unable to do anything." Dipper began to lightly shake and he set his forehead on the book. "At least I still hope so."

Mark set a hand on Dipper's back and rubbed. He didn't say anything, there was no need to. Sometimes someone's company is all that was needed.

* * *

The smell of pork hit Mia's nose along with the sizzling of the skillet. The smell almost made her sick. Why couldn't they have something new for once? "We're home!" she called out to the house.

Mia made her way to the kitchen where her mom was busy cooking. "Where did you two go and enjoy your day?" she asked in a caring tone, a smile on her face mirrored that.

"China Beach. Just wanting to relax before the weekend is over."

"How did the party go?"

"Well enough," Mark answered, coming around the corner.

Their mom, Iris, quietly gestured for Mia to watch the food for a moment. She then went over to her purse hanging off one of the chairs. "That's really good to hear. I'm glad you two are enjoying your time." She quickly pulled something out and handed it to Mark, mouthing a couple words to him. He nodded and looked at it. Two 100-dollar bills were curled up in his hand before he shoved them into his pocket. He mouthed a 'thank-you' to her.

"How long before dinner is ready?" Mia asked, moving around the chops.

"A few more minutes, not too long."

Mark and Mia were very grateful of their mom. She always looked after them as much as she could, even if it meant distracting their father away from them. As Mark went to his room, he smiled to Mia. It was only a matter of time now.

* * *

Mia laid in bed, the day behind her and school to come in the morning. A soft light from her phone lit her face. She was absentmindedly playing a simple app on her phone, waiting for her eyes to tire out. Luckily, it wasn't long until they did. She plugged her phone in the charger and rolled over to get comfortable.

"Good evening, Mia!" That familiar voice resounded in her mind before she even opened her eyes.

The familiar scene of the void welcomed her. That was a more ominous than it should have been. She glanced around for where that annoying voice was coming from. "Good evening."

It appeared as the usual shadow it was. "So! Ready to learn anything?"'

She only had a few moments to think. "Quick question, can I get a name from you? I refuse to call you a friend."

The creature's eye looked around, figuring something out. "Hmmm, I've got a better idea! If you let me stay longer tonight, I'll show you what I look like. All you gotta do is _want_ me to stay here longer."

She bit her lip. This was almost too easy. "Sure. I want you to stay here and teach me longer."

"Cool! I can't stay a full eight hours, but this time will be more than just a short conversation." The shadow burst into blue flames without hesitation. Mia had to shield her eyes from the flash. Peeking over her arm, she saw the figure step out. He was humanoid, tall and slender. When the flames died down, her breath hitched in her throat.

The man stood there, leaning against his cane. One vibrant yellow eye pierced her accompanied with a cocky and knowing smile. Tipping his top hat to her in greeting, he said, "Nice to formally meet you, Mia."

Out of all the things she was expecting, this was not one of them. _He_ was not one of them. She was stunned in shock, the fear would set in later. "Bill-"

"-Cipher. You guessed it, kid!" He propped his hat back on top of his striking blonde hair, the black roots showing through with enough attention to detail. He twirled his cane around and adjusted the bowtie that adorned his yellow suit. He tilted his head to the side for a moment, the blonde locks falling away to show his right eye covered with a black eyepatch. In the moment, it was very fitting, but that was the last of Mia's thoughts right now. "So, what would you like to begin with? Theoretical physics? Number theory?" He smiled at the next one, almost knowingly. "Quantum mechanics?"

This really caught her attention. It was something she dreamed of, making a breakthrough in science in some fashion. The temptation only made it harder for her to decline. "There's no way in hell I'm going to let you teach me! Not after everything you've done to them."

"So it seems you have paid attention to what Pinetree has told you. Doesn't matter how long you ignore me, I'm still here. Just like you wanted."

"Then can't I will you away? What's stopping that?"

"The fact that I'm already here. You may as well have invited a vampire into your home."

Mia mentally cursed herself. She couldn't believe what she had just did, but on the other hand, how was she to know? The first thought that came to her mind was to immediately tell Dipper about this. Memories flooded through her from over the years. Flashes of having to be there for Mabel and Dipper through their anxieties and PTSD they gained after the events of Weirdmageddon. The nightmares, the regrets, all the therapy for the both of them. They have been doing so much better, could she really bring it all crashing down?

"Hey." This snapped her out of the struggle for the moment. She met Bill's eye, his yellow complementary to hers. "How about we just take the time to talk instead?" He summoned a chair and threw his coat tails back before sitting down. Mia heard one summoned up behind her. "Have a seat."


	3. Chapter 3

Mia was frozen stiff. How could this be happening? Of all the things, why did it have to be him? She took in a sharp breath as she was tripped backwards, falling into a chair. "I'm sure you have plenty of questions, Mia. Why I'm here, why me, why you." Bill took a pause to grin at her. "Well, I'm going to answer those for you so you don't have to ask. I'm here because I want to make things right and I would like you to help me since you're close to the Pines."

Hearing these words mixed in his egotistical attitude made her furious. However, she held her tongue from shouting. "The least you could do is show some sincerity. You know, show that you actually feel bad. I'm not convinced and nothing you say can convince me." Her words spat venom, but the demon seemed unphased.

"Actually, I am quite sincere. Just because I don't say it how you would doesn't mean I'm not." He leaned forward, his voice becoming more serious. "I've had a lot of time to think on my actions. Failure does things to you. It makes you think, and all I've had is time." He took a pause for the girl to say anything. She only stared at him so he continued, "I'm well aware that you don't believe me. I didn't expect you to. I know what I did is unforgivable. The least I can do is make it right in some way, and I'm willing to do anything to prove myself."

The words meddled in her brain, but one stood out in particular. Time to think. Was six years even enough time for someone like him to think and come around? No harm in asking. "I wouldn't have figured six years is enough for you to turn around."

"Maybe it's been six years for you. It's been much, much longer for me. Time works different in many worlds. Some faster, some slower. That entire song and dance. Six years for you was hundreds for me. As I said, I had plenty of time."

She still refused to believe him. Ford was stuck in the multiverse for 30 years. Then again, it was directly connected to their world. They dabbled in the probability of other dimensions and alternate realities other than their own having different spans of time. Never had they put into practice to test this theory. It was too risky and unsafe, especially with no way of seeing what's beyond the portal prior to traversing the gate.

"It's fun seeing the gears in your head turn. So much going on."

Was he teasing her or just filling the silence? She choose to ignore his comment. "Ok,big question. Why do you look like a human?"

She could tell the question surprised and amused him. "Isn't that what you kids are into these days? Giving things a human-like appearance?"

"For a number of reasons, yes. Though it isn't exactly my cup of tea."

"It's also easier to relate to, and I can express emotions better than a faceless triangle."

"Human or not, you aren't going to make me more comfortable with you."

"Then I'll just have to do my best to earn your trust. That I've turned benevolent and mean no ill intent."

He sounded like he was trying too hard. However, who knows how much social interaction he actually has. Bill may only know how to manipulate and doesn't have any knowledge on how to act like a normal person. "What was the thing that prompted you to want to change?"

His expression changed to a more somber one. "I looked into your head and went over all the years you had been friends with Pinetree and-"

"Dipper and Mabel," she snapped to correct him.

"Right. Seeing what I had caused them, what they are now going through. I didn't know my actions would cause so many problems for the kids. I want to make it up to them. Is that so wrong?"

"If you're being sincere, no."

"Give me some time, Mia. I'll prove it. I won't make any deals with you. I do want your help, but I won't force it or even bother you about it. No tricks." A few moments of silence passed. He had hoped she would say something, but she just sat there. Her glare unwavering and unconvinced. He continued, "I'll give you time to think on it. Have a good day at school, Mia."

The alarm woke her up from their conversation. She swiped it off and sat up, taking in all that had just occurred. Dipper's words played in her head, the promise she had made with him. School was only in a few hours. She couldn't plague his entire day with worry. Mia opted to tell him afterwards. Although, there was one person that needed to know right away. She just hoped he was back on the grid to call.

Her face lit up in the dark room as the screen flicked to life. No new messages were there to greet her, not giving her much hope. She brought up the contact and called. The dial tone sounded in her ears. The longer it lasted, the more her heart pounded.

"Hello! You've reached-" Crap. she hung up and leaned her head against the backboard. The fogginess of the morning weariness still clung in her mind and eyes. The next contact she chose was the main line, knowing the other turned his phone off at night, much to her annoyance.

The tone came through once more. As it rung, she wondered if he was even going to bother picking up. Finally, the tone was replaced with a voice, "What do you want? We're closed!"

The gruff voice on the other line was annoyed as to be expected. Mia knew she dragged him out of bed.

She simply answered, "Hey, Stan. It's Mia."

"Mia? It's 5 in the morning! What are you doing calling this early?"

"It's important. Is Ford still on his trip?"

"Yes. Now what's so damn important that you need to disturb my sleep?"

Mia took a pause. The set of words that she needed to spit out should be so easy, but they caught in her throat. The tension and worry it would cause all of them weighed heavy in her mind. This wasn't something she could just keep a secret. Mia swallowed her fear. "It's about Bill. He's visited me in my dreams."

Mia flinched and pulled the phone away from her ear as Stan's voice changed to a sudden yell, "What?! Are you sure?"

She moved the phone to her other ear. "Positive."

Stan's end went ominously quiet. Mia assumed he was trying to process the information, repressing the fear and memories that his name suddenly brought out. "I'll contact Ford," He finally spoke, the irritation in his voice replaced with seriousness and, Mia noticed, a hint of fear. "Stay safe, and _don't_ do anything stupid or make any deals, got it?"

"I don't plan on it." Stan hung up, putting Mia in silence once more. She sat there wondering what would happen next. All she could really do was wait until she heard from Ford. Could be a few days to a week depending on where he was.

Mia threw the blankets off and swung her legs over the side of the bed. The clothes were an easy pick. A simple pair of jeans with a tank top, maybe a small jacket over it if she felt like it. Today was not one of those days. She stepped out of her room and shut the bathroom door behind her.

The routine consisted of normal activities: brushing hair, brushing teeth, eyes. Eyes. She stared down at the little container on the counter. Grabbing it, she popped the lid open. Mia knew she had to wear them. It was for her own good. The attention and pressures that came with choosing not to wear them. They plagued her then, she didn't feel like putting up with that again.

Jack sat at the table when Mia turned into the kitchen. "Good morning," he said nonchalantly.

"Morning," she managed to mutter a response. The tone of voice was not what Mia hoping to come from her throat.

He looked up from his phone to her while she made herself a bowl of cereal. "Why the tone?"

"Couldn't sleep. Restless dreams." She took her bowl and sat across from him. The usual peppy morning person was suddenly not.

Jack looked to her and put his phone to the side. "What about?" He picked up his mug and sipped on the coffee inside it.

Mia, in her numb state, returned a hollow reply, "Nothing you should worry about. It's not like you'd care anyway."

Jack stopped mid-sip. His harsh gaze landed on Mia. He opened his mouth to say something. He stopped. Mia stared down into her bowl of cereal. She hadn't touched it or even looked up. The silver spoon slowly stirred itself around the flakes. He observed the expression on her face. There was no anger. No sign that she was trying to act out. She was clearly upset and worried about something. His brow furrowed, getting defensive. "Then don't be late for school," he nearly spat. Jack took his coffee and phone, getting up and heading to his office.

Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to say that to him, but Mia didn't feel like coming up with some excuse. She pushed the bowl away and set her head in her hands. Maybe she'd just grab a snack

She slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed out to her meetup point. Seeing the twins already waiting for her got her heart pounding. Doing her best to push the emotions into the back of her mind, she greeted them, "Morning, guys."

Mabel gave her friend a suspicious yet concerned look. "What's wrong, Mia?" Sometimes Mia wondered if the girl had some sort of sixth sense, it was hard for anything to get past her.

Dipper's expression turned to worry. "Is it about the dreams?"

"It is, but I want to take the day to kinda piece it together. We don't have that much time during school to really talk about it." Her words weren't a complete lie. It seemed to satisfy the two for now, which she was grateful for.

The whole day seemed to pass by slower than usual. No matter how hard she tried, her concentration was broken many times over to where she stopped trying by third period. Time seemed like torture to her. So much so, that she felt it was a miracle that she even got through the day.

Mia was not ready for this. She had Mabel with as a classmate in the last class of the day. It was going to be very difficult, but at least the teacher was doing a lot of talking so she didn't have to face the girl behind her. Her fidgeting increased with time and the poor pencil in her mouth didn't deserve such torture. It was probably a good thing she only used mechanical pencils to write.

His laugh, she could still hear it vibrating in the back of her mind. It taunted her, intimidated her. Was it him active in her mind or just the memory?

The shrill chime of the bell gave her a start, jumping in her seat. Her hands shook, her breath and heart raced. The hands on her shoulder comforted her but also made her panic more.

"Mia, you've really been worrying me all class. You have to tell us what's wrong."

Mia swallowed hard. "I will. I just… Not here." From the look Mabel gave her told that she had a sneaking suspicion. She could just make out the fear behind her worry.

The walk to the twins' house was stressful. The unease stalked with them the whole way. Mia was the first to step in, slinging her bag against the wall and sitting down in the first seat she could find.

"Ok, Mia, you have to tell us," Dipper demanded. "What's got you so spooked?"

Mia's breath shook as she spoke, "I… I don't even know where to begin. Much - much less say what happened."

"You're going to have to tell us one way or the other," Mabel said. "Just take a deep breath and tell us."

Mia did just that. A couple actually. She couldn't keep holding this off, but the worries were rooted deep by now. Mia's breath hitched when warm hands grabbed hers, bringing them from her head to settle on the table. Her eyes followed the arms up to meet Mabel's eyes.

She spoke once more, "We're here for you, Mia. We're in this together."

Mabel may as well be a saint. Her gentle words silenced the beast of worry and fear inside of her. This made it easier for her to speak. "I already contacted Stan early this morning. He's going to get a hold of Ford." She judged their reactions, and by that, she already knew they understood. "It's Bill… He's the one that's been in my dreams. He showed himself to me."

Silence.

And fear.

That's all that was observed around them. That, and his muffled cackle in the back of their minds.

Dipper held his face in his palms, having to gain his composure in the moment. Mabel's hands squeezed tighter. "What do we do?" Mia asked. They couldn't sit in the silence, letting their minds wander.

"We beat him before," Dipper stated. Even though this statement was meant to be hopeful, he felt defeated, drained from years before.

Mabel finished his statement, "And we can do it again." The determination in her voice sounded genuine, fueling what little they had in them.

"What did he say to you, Mia?"

"That he wants to teach me and just like he did with Ford, but I think mostly just to keep me occupied. Then he said he wanted to make up for all the years of torment he had caused."

Dipper slammed his fists into the table. "That's a load of crap! Why would someone like him care?"

"I don't think he does. He also said something that struck me as odd. Wherever he was stuck, was hundreds of years while we only had six. It's not impossible when you think about possibilities, but who's to say he's sincere."

Mabel rested a hand on one of Dipper's. "Didn't you guys talk about that kind of thing?"

"Only in theory," Mia answered.

Dipper rubbed his face with his free hand. He appeared to still be piecing all of this together in his mind. "The process was something we didn't have a lot of resources to test. If we made something and lost it through another dimension, that would be all that lost that we wouldn't be able to retrieve. Knowing where it went and what time would be near impossible to figure out, especially if time was faster somewhere else than here."

"That still leaves the question, what do I do? If I don't make any deals, he can't really do anything. I'm not going to be giving out any information about us and our lives, though he probably already knows a lot if he's been watching us and knows about what happened."

"Or he's been watching through your eyes," Mabel offered.

"I don't think there'd be much of a difference."

"For now," Dipper offered, "Let's wait until Grunkle Ford returns from his investigation. He can give us more advice and maybe something to help us. In the meantime, the three of us need to be careful."

"I'll let Mark know, too. If something happens, he'd be the closest person I could get to."

"Good idea."

Mabel took a glance to the clock in the kitchen. "We should get something to eat and try to take our minds off it."

Dipper nodded his head in agreement. "That sounds like a really good idea. We have some time and there's no need for us to panic. That'll only make this situation worse. We'll wait for Grunkle Ford to get back and see what he says."

The three of them cooked something while chatting about anything else, mostly school. Mia looked back through the years at the problems the twins had because of the demon. Watching them manage this in the moment, she had to admit, she was proud of them.


End file.
